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Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2025

USA119th CongressS-1559| Senate 
| Updated: 5/1/2025
Chuck Grassley

Chuck Grassley

Republican Senator

Iowa

Cosponsors (2)
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democratic)Tina Smith (Democratic)

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This bill aims to enhance transparency and borrower awareness in federal student loan programs by revising counseling requirements and introducing new disclosure mandates. It renames "Entrance Counseling" to "Pre-Loan Counseling" and expands its scope to apply to the first disbursement of each new loan . The updated counseling must include a detailed estimate of the borrower's monthly payment compared to their estimated post-tax income, factoring in living expenses, health insurance, and projected starting wages for their program of study. This comprehensive financial outlook helps students make more informed borrowing decisions. The revised pre-loan counseling also requires institutions to advise students to borrow only the minimum necessary, warn them about high debt-to-income ratios, and present options for reducing borrowing. Crucially, the bill introduces a new requirement for students to manually enter the exact dollar amount of Federal Direct Loan funding they wish to borrow. This ensures active confirmation before loan disbursement, following completion of all pre-loan counseling requirements. Additionally, the legislation mandates that lenders provide quarterly statements to borrowers during periods when loan payments are not required, such as while in school or during deferment or forbearance. These statements must clearly outline the original principal, current balance, interest rate, and total interest paid on each loan. They also explain the option to pay accruing interest during these periods and warn about the consequences of interest capitalization if not paid, aiming to keep borrowers informed about their growing debt.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 116-887
Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2019

Bill from Previous Congress

S 117-1445
Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2021

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-530
Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2023
May 1, 2025
Introduced in Senate
May 1, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
May 8, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-3298
Introduced in House
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 116-887
    Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2019


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 117-1445
    Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2021


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-530
    Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2023


  • May 1, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • May 1, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.


  • May 8, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-3298
    Introduced in House

Education

Related Bills

  • HR 119-3298: Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2025

Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2025

USA119th CongressS-1559| Senate 
| Updated: 5/1/2025
This bill aims to enhance transparency and borrower awareness in federal student loan programs by revising counseling requirements and introducing new disclosure mandates. It renames "Entrance Counseling" to "Pre-Loan Counseling" and expands its scope to apply to the first disbursement of each new loan . The updated counseling must include a detailed estimate of the borrower's monthly payment compared to their estimated post-tax income, factoring in living expenses, health insurance, and projected starting wages for their program of study. This comprehensive financial outlook helps students make more informed borrowing decisions. The revised pre-loan counseling also requires institutions to advise students to borrow only the minimum necessary, warn them about high debt-to-income ratios, and present options for reducing borrowing. Crucially, the bill introduces a new requirement for students to manually enter the exact dollar amount of Federal Direct Loan funding they wish to borrow. This ensures active confirmation before loan disbursement, following completion of all pre-loan counseling requirements. Additionally, the legislation mandates that lenders provide quarterly statements to borrowers during periods when loan payments are not required, such as while in school or during deferment or forbearance. These statements must clearly outline the original principal, current balance, interest rate, and total interest paid on each loan. They also explain the option to pay accruing interest during these periods and warn about the consequences of interest capitalization if not paid, aiming to keep borrowers informed about their growing debt.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

S 116-887
Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2019

Bill from Previous Congress

S 117-1445
Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2021

Bill from Previous Congress

S 118-530
Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2023
May 1, 2025
Introduced in Senate
May 1, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
May 8, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 119-3298
Introduced in House
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 116-887
    Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2019


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 117-1445
    Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2021


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    S 118-530
    Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2023


  • May 1, 2025
    Introduced in Senate


  • May 1, 2025
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.


  • May 8, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 119-3298
    Introduced in House
Chuck Grassley

Chuck Grassley

Republican Senator

Iowa

Cosponsors (2)
Margaret Wood Hassan (Democratic)Tina Smith (Democratic)

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

Education

Related Bills

  • HR 119-3298: Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2025
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted